Pit Bull Attacks in Michigan

By
Goodman Acker P.C.
|January 14, 2016

On Wednesday, January 6, a man and his dog were attacked by a pit bull
in Macomb County. According to reports from
ClickOnDetroit.com, the man was walking in Gilcher Park in Washington Township when the attack occurred.

The pit bull was being walked by a woman estimated to be about the age
of 60. The dog broke away from its leash and charged the man and his dog,
knocking him down. As a result of the attack, the victim was taken to
urgent care and suffered serious injuries, including numerous dog bites
requiring several stitches in the hands.

The dog owner left the man and his dog at the scene in her vehicle after
she lured her pit bull into her car with dog treats.

The Macomb County Sheriff’s department is currently investigating
the incident and anyone with information regarding the pit bull attack
is asked to contact them at 586-307-9435.

Pit Bull Attacks

Although the actions and responsibility of a dog owner will greatly impact
whether or not a dog is vicious, certain breeds of dogs are considered
more dangerous than others. The canine breed pit bull has a reputation
for being a dangerous dog with several statistics to back it up.

According to a report issued by
DogsBite.org, pit bulls accounted for 59% of all dog bite-related deaths in the U.S.
between 2006 and 2008. During that three-year period, 88 total deaths
were reported from dog attacks. This means that of the 88 fatal dog attacks,
pit bulls were responsible for 52 of those deaths, which is equivalent
to a U.S. citizen being killed in a pit bull attack every 21 days.

Another report issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) revealed that during a 20-year period, at least 25 breeds of dog
were involved in 238 human dog bite fatalities, with pit bulls and rottweilers
being involved in more than two-thirds of these fatalities (67%).

Holding the Dog Owner Accountable for Your Pit Bull Injuries

Michigan law holds dog owners responsible for all damages if their dog
bites a person without provocation. This law holds true in almost every
scenario except when the victim is a trespasser on the dog owner’s property.

Damages a victim may be able to collect include:

Medical Bills (present and future, i.e. plastic surgery)

Lost Wages

Pain & Suffering Damages

Punitive Damages

Unfortunately in the recent incident mentioned above, if the dog owner
is not found, the victim may not be able to collect damages. However,
this is an unfortunate and unusual situation. In most scenarios, the dog
owner may be defensive, but typically does not leave the scene of the
incident. In fact, our
Michigan dog bite lawyers highly recommend that you get a police report taken of the incident as
well as the dog owner’s contact information before anyone leaves
the scene – that is, after you have sought medical attention should
you or anyone else need it.

If you or your loved one has been bitten or attacked by a pit bull, call
a dog bite lawyer at Goodman Acker P.C. today to discuss your claim. Our
skilled and experienced attorneys are actively accepting these types of
cases and may be able to help you get the compensation you deserve.

Call our officetoday at (248) 493-2010 and put us to work for you. Consultations are provided free of charge.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.